To Fly on Dragon Wings
by ShadowHunter Mashell
Summary: What if Harry ended up in Temeraire's world instead of coming back after Voldemort killed him. What if he was no longer the same in this new world...
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Temeraire and Harry Potter are not mine.

AN: warning this has not been edited by anyone other then me... I apologize in advance.

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><p><strong>Chapter 1<strong>

He fell into dizzying dreams, tumbled into a world of half sensations and blurred thoughts. Anytime he started to have a thought or any form of awareness it quickly fluttered away leaving him alone and drifting not even aware enough to be concerned or confused. At this moment he only existed with no thoughts of the past or worries for the future.

As his state of being progressed he slowly became more aware of his own thoughts or memories as it were. He remembered the searing pain of basilisk venom burning through his veins slowly stealing his life away, as if it were happening for the very first time. His fears that he would die here alone and be unable to save the young red head that would soon become the love of his life.

Just as quickly he was swept away in the multitude of his memories to experience over again the first time he met Hagrid. The fear that the giant man would realize that surely he had the wrong boy and that Harry was in no way special. His fear that he would be left disappointed with the Dursley's friendless and unloved.

He slowly became aware that what he was experiencing were just memories and not happening at that very moment in there disjointed way. With that realization came the first sense of self that he had in what felt like a very long time. With that sense of self came the concern and fear of wondering what was happening to him and how long had he been like this.

Slowly all his memories fell into place only to increase his worry and now his sorrow. For he remembered now facing Voldemort, facing his death, and accepting it. He also remembered his conversation with Dumbledore in the train station before he fell into this horrible place that had taken away his very thoughts, everything that made him Harry. Now that he was himself he worried about his friends, wondered how long he'd been like this, if they already destroyed Nagini and then Voldemort.

Yet still he remained trapped in his own thoughts without any physical sensations to distract him or give him any relief. He thought that maybe Dumbledore had surely been wrong and that he had indeed died and he was now in the afterlife. And if this was the afterlife it was not at all what he had imagined.

It wasn't long and Harry decided that yes he had died and that this was his own personal hell. A hell where he was to never know what happened to his loved ones, to never be reunited with them, and to never know if his sacrifice mattered.

Then with startling suddenness he could feel warmth. Harry took acute notice of this focused on it entirely. The warmth came from nowhere in particular it just was. He couldn't feel it against his skin or any particular body part it just was. He brooded over the sensation and it kept his attention entirely until another new sensation developed while he was busy focusing on the warmth. He wasn't sure if he missed it long before or if it developed with the same suddenness of the warmth but suddenly he could feel a thrumming through his body. Like the deep base beat of a muggle sound system only constant and unwavering.

Slowly more sensations came to him after that first was the sense of his limbs and body then that his body was squished held tightly coiled so that he could hardly move. He realized to that he wasn't breathing and didn't feel the need too. He tried to flex his muscles even minutely but found they were weak and could hardly push his body against the resistance that held him so firmly. He continued to work him muscles tightening them and letting the loose, flexing them and revealing in the knowledge that after so long his could even managed these small things.

While he was reveling in his own body he started to hear. At first so muffled it was frustrating and he wished it would either clear up or just go away and leave him to his muscle exercises. As it did clear up he realized he was hearing the crackling of a fire nearby. Occasionally he'd here movement sometimes it was small and furtive or large and heavy, surely nothing that he could make out as to what was going on around his body.

When he first heard human voices all his muscles tensed and he held very still even in his thoughts listening to the foreign words that he had no understanding of. The longer his listened to more he realized that the speaker was talking in French and not English. He recognized the words and tone from Fleur.

Thoughts of Fleur brought him back to the circular worry for his friends and what had become of them. He ripped himself out of the spiraling thoughts of his friends much later but the voice was still there speaking in a lilting cadence that once again demanded his attention.

He developed no more new sensations for quite some time except to start grasping the French language that was being spoken to him and thus learning from the speaker, or speakers as it were. The more he grasped the language to more he came to know that they knew he existed and that they were talking to him, instructing him.

He'd been listening for some time when he came to the realization that two of the speakers were not human at all. They were some sort of flying beast, proud and very sure of their strength. He learned that they loved only there 'captains' and anything there captain believed so too did they. He grew uncomfortable listening to them talk of their captains feeling that they were trying to brainwash him into believing that he too should love their captains as they did.

He grew more distressed the more he learned. He learned he'd been like this for four years, that the French who had were at war and planned to use him in it when he 'hatched'. This distressed him the most this hatching they spoke of. He was pretty sure no wizard had ever 'hatched' and he was pretty sure that 'hatching' was not part of the afterlife. Another distressing thing came when the voices told him he would soon hatch and then went on to describe to him the harnessing process and instructing him to choose a captain and to choose wisely. Both voices had a differing was of determining what made a worthy captain and what traits Harry should look for.

One thing Harry was sure of was there was no way he was going to allow any captain to harness him. Harnessing it sounded bad like this captain would own him. He had never allowed the horcrux that he carried own him and was surely not going to allow some mere French men own him either.

Harry grew to a new awareness with the distress of the harnessing talk. He was hungry. Oh so very hungry. It quickly grew so distressing that he could think of nothing else but his hunger, it was very literally consuming him. He grew restless and pressed out against him confines. He was so consumed with his need to appease him hunger that he didn't even take notice of when his eyes opened or when many voices were heard outside his prison shouting in high frantic tones.

Such was his hunger that he didn't even stop to notice when he broke through his prison with long sharp claws and teeth. Falling out of his prison onto the dirt though jarred him enough to halt him in his frenzied hunger.

The surprise of cold air on his wet skin stopped him still. He stared down at his taloned feet at the dirt wet with goo that he too was covered in. He peered closer at his claws and flexed them to be sure.

Yep those were his talons and they were attached to his claws that were on his scaly legs and he whipped his head around to stare at his body hissing instinctively. Stretched out behind him was a long scaly body. Wings crumpled wetly against his back covered in goo and bits of egg shell.

Before he had time to panic the hunger returned sweeping over him and bringing him to his feet trembling weakly. He looked around at his surroundings. Before him were three young men and further off even more men. He could smell something that he was sure would sate his hunger and stumbled off in that direction. He only made it a few steps when he fell to the ground again his wing caught in his back claws painfully.

"Oh pray remain still!"

Harry jerked his head back and shrunk into the dirt at one of the boys was man handling him so. The boy had hold of his back leg and wing, trying to disentangle them. He wasn't in the right mindset to realize that they poor boy was trying to help and he tried to push him away. He forgot his claws though and raked the boys shoulder and arm with them in the process. The boy feel back with a howler of pain holding his shoulder and crying.

Harry was up again and shrinking back from the boy and the two men who rushed to assist him. He stared at the boy who was bleeding pretty badly, horrified that he'd done this.

"One of you lads get in there and offer that fowl creature some food before it maims another person!" A booming voice shouted from behind Harry

Startled Harry whirled tripping over his wings again and collapsing in and undignified heap. The other two boys came forward them holding what looked to be buckets of bloody meat and leather harnesses. Harry laid his head low to the ground and groaned.

So this was how it was to be. He had to accept that damn harnessing to eat, and his belly was so overpoweringly empty that there was nothing else for it. He looked longingly at the meat but new that there was no way they'd allow him at it till he took one of those foul harnesses.

The boys were being so cautious that Harry new he'd have to make the first move with either. He peered at both and saw nothing that jumped out about either saying they were kind or in some way special to be a captain. Harry groaned and sighed gustily looking at the two boys.

"Well I suppose that u want me to wear that harness or you won't let me eat any of that meat?" He looked at the two boys who froze as he spoke to them. They looked to each other then not sure how to respond. Really he would have been better off with the boy he'd accidently maimed, he seemed to have more sense than these two combined.

He came to a mental halt and drew himself up at that thought, yes he could turn and apologize to the boy and he'd probably still be delighted to be Harry's captain. Yet if he did that and took on such a kind boy, and how he longed to turn and do just that, he would never be able to escape and leave the boy behind. He knew without a shadow of a doubt that he would do anything for the boy if only it would make him happy.

"Yes sir, if you'd be so kind as to let me put it on you then you may eat as much as you like." One of the boys stepped forward holding out the harness in front of his body as if it were a shield.

Harry stared up the boy wavering in his decision. He nodded his head jerkily forcing himself to ignore that the two men were now taking the other boy away and with them that chance at having a captain to love and follow.

The other boy approached now and Harry was obliged to stand up so that he could buckle the harness on properly. Such was his despair over the other boy that he was able to curtail his hunger for all the tedious buckles and straps.

When last buckle was done the boy brought the pail of meat to him stepped back to let him eat it. Harry did so with great gusto firmly setting aside his feelings for the other boy to be examined later. As he was eating his listened to men congratulating the boy on his new rank as captain and reminding him to 'name the bloody beast and soon'. The other boy was hoarded away but the bucket of meat was left, so that when Harry finished the one he was working on he lunged for the second startling some of the men and the young boy.

He watched as the other men slowly left leaving him be with the boy and two other men. He turned to look at the boy wondering now that he was well fed and sleepy what was to happen to them.

"I suppose to name you, now." The boy addressed Harry still looking nervous

Harry sighed, "Call me Harry."  
>The boy stared at Harry then frowned, for first appearing something other than frightened, "That's not much of a dragon name thought!"<p>

Harry smiled and was surprised to find he could, he'd never seen a dragon smile before, "Well I didn't know that when I came to think of myself as Harry now did I?"

The boy huffed, "How can you name yourself no dragon does that!"

Harry chuckled now, "Well I just did, I suppose you're stuck with a pretty poor representation of a dragon."

Boy stopped then and stared at Harry, "Your smarter than any of the dragons I've flown with."

Harry grimaced and decided that there was no help for it he wasn't even sure how to pretend to be a dragon anyways.

"No matter I heard that Fleur-de-Nuit's are usually smarter than most and seeing as I've never flown with one I shouldn't judge." The boy rushed on

Harry cocked his head at the boy, "Is that what I am?"

Here one of the older men that had staid back interrupted, "Your actually an experimental hybrid of our Fleur-de-Nuit and a Spanish Flecha-del-Fuego."

Harry stared at the man and snorted in amusement, "That means nothing to me, but since you went through the trouble to bread a French dragon to a Spainsh dragon, I assume that you expect me to amount to something grand then?"

The man laughed loudly and heartily now pounding the small boy on the back in his amusement. "Well Captain Dubois you've got yourself a smart one, good luck with him, we needn't worry about the Spanish breed ruining the Fleur's intelligence then."

Harry stared after the man as he bowed to Harry before turning striding off out of the barn they were in. For first time Harry took notice of his surroundings and started craning his neck to look at the large barn they were in. Heavily bedded down with straw and along the walls were partitions that Harry only now noticed housed other young dragons and some large eggs.

"Well gentleman let me get you both settled." the till now silent man spoke up, "My name is Mortimer Laurent and I am in charge of the hatchling barns. This is where the both of you will spend the next three to four months before you are ready to move out into the corps."

Mr. Laurent strode off expecting the two of them to follow him. Granted the man moved at a slow pace Harry still found it hard to keep up while learning how to move his wing muscles and tail. He'd been flexing them for so long without realizing what they were that knowing made things for him rather disorienting. He managed to fold the wings over his back in a messy affair as they were still all covered in egg goo.

Realizing the predicament with his sticky body he addressed his captain and Laurent, "Will I be allowed to clean this sticky goo off me soon it's beginning to grow tacky and it itches."

Laurent raised an eyebrow at him, "Most dragons lick it off."

Harry grimaced and shook his head, "I will not be doing so."

Laurent nodded, "Well then first stop we go outside to the troth so your captain can give you a good scrubbing."

The boy looked at Harry seeming to size him up and the task ahead but said nothing about the eminent bath. Only now Harry looked at himself too.

He was eye level with the boy as he walked on all fours alongside him but his body trailed out behind him for a good eight feet or so. His hide was covered in dark black scales, He spotted red strips across his shoulders that continued up that back of his neck. His wings looked to be Christmas colored in there dark green and red strips with the leading edge dominated by a brighter red.

As they come out into the open air and bright sunshine and Harry hesitated and had to give his eyes a moment to adjust to the much brighter light. Laurent watched him closely as he stood blinking about.

"Huh, he just might have gotten the Fleur's ability to see in the dark, wouldn't it be great?" Laurent smiled at Harry's captain, "imagine a night seeing fire breather!"

Harry pondered this as they approach a large troth, could not all dragon's see in the dark? Surely all dragons breathed fire, right?

At the troth coiled his haunch muscles and sprang into the troth sinking into the water before floating about bobbing in the water. He turned to see both humans staring at him bewildered.

"Was I not supposed to hop in?" Harry asked

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><p>AN: Recently cleaning up documents on my computer I found a few chapters that I had wrote and decided to post them. I'll post what I have but we'll see if I can get into writing them again.<p> 


	2. Chapter 2

****_AN: Ty for all the reviews and encouragement. _

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><p><strong>Chapter 2<strong>

"Lieutenant have them men trade off please." Captain Dubois shouted down Harry's back where the man was currently watching the rifle men go through maneuvers.

Harry peered out of the corner of eye watching at the crew started to trade sides so that the boomers where now in the front nearer his shoulders and the rifleman further down. It was odd being for all intents and purposes a living airplane. He'd learned much and grew even more in the last six months since his hatching.

He would never be a heavy weight much to the disappointment of his captain Eloi Dubois but a larger middle weight. His wings were broad instead of long giving him better maneuverability then any of the middle weights he'd flown with. He was the same size relatively as a Honneur-d'Or and so the corps had built a formation around him with two Honneur-d'Or on either side of him to guard him from other bigger dragons. So far though he was a pretty poor fire breather.

He couldn't maintain a steady stream of flames that Accendare insisted he should strive to achieve and doing so at night left blinded and rather dazed. He tried to explain to the older fire breather that he just didn't have lungs large enough to produce as much flame as she did. Of course at this she would snap at him and point out that he was bigger than her and thus should be able to.

Dubois assured him that as he grew his lungs would surely fill out and he would be able to maintain a steady flame. There was some credence to this as his horns had only just started to come in. Both were a brilliant red and they protruded above his brows and swept back over his skull to his neck. They were the same red as the strips down his neck, shoulders, and the markings on his face. His eyes were the same green as he'd always had and matched the green of his wings as well.

The dragon surgeons had told Dubois and his self that shortly Harry would reach maturity be still keep growing. Dubois had been hopeful that Harry would add another couple meters to his length but it was a vain hope since Harry hadn't put on any length in two weeks and his appetite had plat formed off and he now only required a cow every three days or so.

"Approaching target!"

Harry held himself as steady in the air as possible to make it easier for the gunners and boomers to take aim at the targets situated on the cliff and ground below. The practice range was there's for another hour and the crew only had that long to improve their aim before they'd have to concede the range to another young dragon and her crew.

The volley went off as the booms fell away, Harry felt one of the sacks hit his side leaving a smear of white telling that one of the boomers had failed and if that had been a boom the risk of it exploding on Harry's side very real. Harry ground his teeth and listen as his captain berated the boomers and told them to prepare for another volley and change to Harry other side for the next pass. Harry took a lazy circle before coming round for another try, this gave the crew plenty of time to get re situated for the next attempt.

They made four more passes before the hour was up and Harry's side were three times marked by poorly tossed booms. The rifleman had more success though as Harry's keen eyes told him that not a target atop the cliff remained undamaged. As they turned back to the landing field the female Pêcheur-Couronné who had been awaiting her crews turn rushed in for her own attempt.

Harry shook head a bit it still surprised him that dragons were so willing to please their captains, so eager to prove themselves. Harry's own lack of blood thirst concerned Dubois who was paranoid that Harry wouldn't make a good fighter and fail to serve the country well. Harry really didn't care one way or the other as far as he was concerned he was just bidding his time till he could be rid of this whole outfit and search for the magical community.

When he'd first woken on his second day out of the shell he'd discovered the entirety of his situation. He realized that he was nearly two hundred years in the past and very much in a different past then his own. He couldn't even be sure that there were wizards here in this world and surely there was no Weasley's to rush off and save.

It had been a depressing realization and shortly after coming to the it he'd decided he was just fine here with Dubois to care for him as anywhere. As it was his hunger alone would hamper him leaving the French air corps and then there was the fact that surely they'd send a bigger stronger dragon after him. So he had stayed eaten well , educated himself in the ways of his new life, and all the while grew and gained strength enough to fly to freedom some day.

Landing on the field below Harry crouched letting the crew clamber off and the ground crew remove the unnecessary flight rigging.

"You did very well today Harry." Dubois addressed him smiling up at him and a rare show of affection.

Harry nodded at him and the young man's face fell in disappointment, before he turned sharply and left the grounds. Harry grimaced he wasn't quite sure how to treat Dubois or what the man expected of him, he didn't really feel any affection for the man as other dragons clearly felt for their own captains. At first he didn't think it would matter much in their relationship but as he grew it became readily apparent that they loss of Dubois would be no more tragic to Harry than the loss of any other Human life. It was something neither of them ever talked about and they went about pretending at being captain and loving dragon anyways.

"Oh Harry you could loosen up around him just a bit."

Harry turned and blinked at the other dragon standing next to him. She was a Papillon Noir about his size and beautiful in her black with blue and green strips. She was one of the first dragons his own age that he'd met here. She had hatched just days before him and there captains had started as mid-wingmen on the same dragon some many years ago. Unlike Harry though she loved her captain with her whole being and would die for the man if only it would bring him happiness. She also was sure that if Harry would just loosen up he'd find that he too would feel the same for his own captain.

"I don't see where it would make very much a difference Maia." Harry snorted at her and with a half flap and a great heave of his hind quarters and he leapt gracefully into the air and glided gently away and to his own clearing where he slept and spent most of his days.

There was one thing about being a dragon that made this whole situation worth it. The flying was incredible! He was without doubt the most graceful dragon that any of his instructors had seen yet, well for a middle weight that was. He'd watched some of the courier class fly with envy for their speed and grace. Flying a broom could never compare to flying on his own two wings, feeling the lift of the air under his wings, the rush of diving to the earth, of the strain his wings felt when he flew too long, the glorious freeness of it all.

Harry landed in his clearing and made to get comfortable but groaned mentally as Maia's shadow fell over his clearing as she came to join him.

"Okay okay I won't harp about anymore," Maia grumbled, "Well at least for now. "

Harry chuckled, "I don't think you'll be able to go a day without bringing up my lack of sensitivity."

"Oh bother you're a sensitive dragon just deep down," Maia smiled at him, "Anyways how did your practice go last night?"

"I still half blind myself with my own flames," Harry grumbled as he sat on the ground kneading at the soil much like a cat would while coiling his tail around himself, "I still always hit the target though."

Maia nodded, "They still analyzing your flame?"

This was another part of Harry's flame that confused even the knowledgeable Accendare. Harry's flame once ignited on an object was very hard to put out and water had a tendency to make it all the worse. They'd found pouring dirt on his flame was the only way to extinguish them. Harry had thoughts on what was causing it the fire looked so much like a grease fire that he wondered if he was in fact not breathing fire like Accendare but spitting it instead.

"They're analyzing my spit Maia not my flame really."

"All the same if you're correct though." She shrugged, "You know if you are right it would probably explain why your flame doesn't come continuously too."

"Well great lot of good that does then," Harry winced, "makes me less valuable if I can't keep pouring flame on boats and such."

"I'm sure Eloi will love you all the same."

Harry glared at her for bringing up just what she'd promised to not talk about.

"Well then never you mind your flying skills alone make you a very valuable dragon to the empire. Oh have you heard that they've been at again on the straight trying to make another go at the English?"

Harry nodded he had indeed heard, and Dubois was hopeful that they'd finally get sent out to see some action on the field. As it was Accendare was needed on the straight and he'd be losing his teacher in a week's time. The idea of fighting against his own country turned his stomach though and he knew that before that day came he'd be long gone from France.

"They even managed to capture some foreign dragons they're saying they got one of the Longwings that I've heard so much about." Maia tended to go on and on once she got excited, which was all very fine by Harry it meant he had to talk less, and he usually learned the most for just listening to what she picked up.

"If your correct about your flame you should talk to the Longwing when it gets here, they are bringing him here where they can secure his captain, then retrain him to one of our formations. Don't fancy being in his though he could turn and attack at anytime."

Harry sighed he highly doubted that the French had managed to capture such an important British dragon, but more likely was the story had gained grandeur in its retelling. As he listened to Maia recount what she'd heard about the Longwing's capture affirming that the tale had surely gained glory in its retelling, for surely ten British dragons were not killed and only the one Longwing captured.

Nearing night fall Maia left for her own clearing saying that her captain would surely be waiting for her. Harry rolled his eyes but knew that her captain would indeed spend the whole of the evening with her talking and gossiping together. The thought of her close relationship with her captain brought a depressing shadow down on Harry and he thought back to the boy at his hatching that he'd maimed.

His name was Wies Leroy and he was nineteen years old. He'd severed on three dragons; trained on Triumphalis as a runner then on a Defendeur-Brave whose name he never heard and then recently earned his right to try for an egg on Accendare. It was when his training with Accendare started up that he saw the boy again, his arm had healed nicely apparently Harry hadn't damaged any muscle when he'd mauled the lad.

Harry had been surprised when he'd seen the boy after four months how much it still bothered him that he wasn't with him and not Dubois. It was cruel really that his instincts tied him to this boy and made him long to spend his time with him as Maia did with her captain. Harry knew though that he would only end up hurting the young man when he left France so he kept his distance and pretended not to notice him whenever he practiced with Accendare.

"Harry?"

Harry brought his head round and stared in confusion as his captain rushed across the clearing. He never saw his captain unless they were drilling or in some sort of practice, they just did not spend time together like that. Harry levered himself up onto his feet and stood as captain panted for breath.

"Help me up we got to get over to the landing fields we're needed over there to keep watch over the British brute they captured, he'll be landing there soon." Dubois panted and Harry was helping him up onto his shoulders even as he finished telling him what was going on, "I'm latched on, ready"

Harry nodded and coiling up his thick haunch muscles he sprang up into the air with a mighty heave. He opened his wings to their fullest caught a breeze and a few tremendous flaps he was high over the covert and gliding soundlessly through the night air to the landing fields. Already two Fleur-de-Nuit glided over the fields watching the incoming dragons, silent as wraiths' in the night. There silent dark forms reminded Harry of dementors circling waiting to feed. Surely the incoming dragons would never even know that the Fleur's hovered over head as they came in to land. Harry too could be just as silent but the firelight below would surely bring out his red highlights for all to see.

He didn't have long to wait and he spotted the incoming dragons. A pair of Petit Chevalier and three Poux-de-Ciel made up the formation. Surely there was more pivotal dragon that usually flew the lead that had been kept back at the channel obviously unable to be spared for prisoner transport. Flying below the formation and flanked by another pair of Poux-de-Ceils was indeed a Longwing looking very distressed and battered.

"Follow them down but do not land Harry!" Dubois instructed.

The two Chevalier's landed with the Longwing but the Ceils all peeled off and went to land somewhere else. Harry paid them all no mind though focused entirely on the Longwing who had just landed. He looked miserable indeed on his back was a ten or so French men surely spared from the other dragons in the formation along with his captain who sat stiffly in the place of honor with another French man pointing a pistol at the poor chaps head.

Over the course of the next ten minutes they went through the tedious affair of taking the captain into custody getting all the French off the Longwing. Then began the part Harry was most interested to hear.

"Your name Longwing?" demanded another Petit Chevalier who'd just arrived on the scene. This Chevalier named Hermes belonged to Mortimer Laurent and was instructor of the youngest newly hatched dragons. he'd been injured in a battle many years ago and was crippled unable to fly.

The Longwing wavered and groaned heavily his eyes never leaving his captain, "my captain please?" he begged

"She will be seen to properly and with the highest respects I assure you." Hermes comforted the Longwing, "We treat captured captains fairly here, she will be allowed all the freedoms of citizen of France in due time, but you must understand you will never be allowed to take her aloft again let alone spend any amount of time with her unsupervised."

The Longwing nodded heavily, "I am called Mortiferus."

Harry stared at the Longwings captain that stood stiffly off to the side guarded by two French man, and he was indeed actually a woman. The British were allowing women into the service this shocked him and gave him hope that maybe Britain was surpassing the dark ages and women oppression, he was sure Hermione would approve.

"Good then Mortiferus you understand that you are now a prisoner here and if you wish to see your captain treat fairly you will comply and fly for our empire?" Hermes laid down the law like it was one of the easiest things to do.

Mortiferus didn't bother answer but to nodded and hung his head in misery.

"Well then say your good-byes to your captain you will not be allowed to see her for the next three months, then you will be allowed to spend a day with her, guarded of course." Hermes explained

Mortiferus moaned and leaned towards his captain staring at her intently, "How will I be sure she lives?"

Hermes shrugged, "You will have to trust us and our word. Letters will be allowed exchanged freely."

Harry couldn't hear what Mortiferus's captain said to him but they spoke for a few minutes before the French guard led her away. Mortiferus gave low moan and collapsed on the ground curling his tail tightly about his body and cloaking himself with his wings. He was the most miserable thing Harry had ever seen and wrenched at his heart to see any dragon like this.

Hermes tilted his head up and called Harry down now. Curious about his part in this Harry glided down as silent as an owl hunting in the dead of the night. He landed gracefully and stared at Mortiferus who hadn't even acknowledged Harry's arrival.

"Harry this is Mortiferus. I am led to believe that you speak English?" Harry nodded only just now realizing that the negotiations had taken place in English not French. "Good Mortiferus is a British dragon and has shown that he knows little to no French. You are to be his companion for now, show him around, keep an eye on him, and see if you can learn anything from him."

"Mortiferus I know you are understandably upset but you need to follow Harry now, he'll show were you will stay for now." Hermes said again in English, "You'll be sharing you clearing with him till he is better settled with your new lot in life."

It took some convincing but finally Harry got Mortiferus up and moving. Dubois left him to the task of herding Mortiferus while he went to get the details of their babysitting duties. Mortiferus was dreadful mostly ignoring Harry making the task of getting him to the clearing that much harder. He was only able to get the Longwing aloft when they reached the woods and it was obvious the heavy weight could go no further on foot. Harry hovered as Mortiferus landed heavily in the middle of the small clearing leaving Harry very little room to land let alone be comfortable.

"Come on now move over some I've got to sleep here too you know!" Harry shouted at the Longwing. Mortiferus moved over and Harry sighed and flopped down on the mossy soil, "I trust that you'll allow me to sleep and won't go taking off on me correct?"

Mortiferus glared at him, "I would hardly leave my captain to die here in this god forsaken place."

Harry nodded, "No I don't suppose that you would."

Mortiferus glared at him a moment longer before tucking his fierce looking head under his wing and ignoring Harry. Harry took the time to get a good look at the Longwing. Mortiferus's wing were the most dominant feature in Harry's opinion, huge twice the size of his already long body, the wing span was easily 120 feet. His head to was also very fierce and striking with bone spurs on either side of jaw and fierce slotted yellow eyes.

Harry wondered how long Mortiferus would be this depressed and hoped it wasn't forever his mood was catching and he found himself brooding over Wies off on grand adventures with Accendare.

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><p><em>AN: Let me know what you guys think.<em>


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: Temeraire and Harry Potter are not mine.

AN: Wow so did some spring cleaning and found my jump drive with this story on it. I have a couple chapters that I will post as I edit and if I find the inspiration I might work on completing this story. Just a warning I wrote these three years ago and I haven't read the last two books released of Temeraire. It shames me I know but work is insane!

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><p><strong>Chapter 3<strong>

Harry fell into a routine of herding Mortiferus about through the next three weeks. He lead him to the feeding grounds which the older dragon informed him he would only need to do every six days or so depending on how active he was to be. He showed him to the lake where some of the dragons frolicked in the water splashing one another in the summer sun. Mortiferus showed no interest in the water sports and merely got a drink before following Harry away.

Mortiferus stuck right with Harry not straying at all from his side. He flew with Harry through practice went with him to the feeding grounds even though he himself was not hungry, and put up with Maia's constant babble. The only time Mortiferus and he were separate was in the evening when a Petit Chevalier would take over so that Harry could attend his lessons with another Flamme-de-Gloire named Lumiere. Mortiferus took note that Harry was going off for some special training but so far he had not asked Harry about it. In fact the great dragon had yet to ask any questions just seeming to ghost through the routine of it all.

Harry landed in the clearing muscles sore from using them to fan flames as he hovered over a mock ship trying to burn it to the ground. He could only maintain a flame for about ten seconds but he found by fanning the flames with his wings they seared hotter and consumed much quicker. The only problems with this strategy was his wings weren't really built for the maneuver and the flames had gotten so hot that he'd searing delicate wing webbing in the process.

"You look like you worked hard tonight." Mortiferus spoke up nudging forward and inspecting Harry's wings, "Managed to burn yourself a bit too."

Surprised at the older dragons interest Harry found himself answering, after all no one had said that he could tell the foreign dragon about his training or abilities, "Yes I'm a fire breather see, and I was experimenting with my flames tonight and they got a bit too hot for me." Harry grinned a little sheepishly

"I suppose it would be far too too hopeful of me to think that you learned from the experience either," Mortiferus snorted, "Fire breather, huh, I don't know your breed, where pray tell did the French get you from?"

Delighted to have less depressing bunk mate Harry eagerly took up the conversation, "I'm a cross breed, sir, between a French Fleur-de-Nuit and a Spanish Flecha-del-Fuego, spent the last four years in the egg."

Mortiferus nodded, "I assume that you're not the only one they breed for the experiment?"

Harry stopped thinking this over, he'd never asked if there was others like him, he'd assumed that at the moment he was the only one of his breed. "Not rightly sure I had never thought to ask before."

"Your captain never supplied the information to you?" Mortiferus asked, "I know the two of you don't seem that close, or have you warned him off afraid that I will hurt him in revenge for your taking my Carolina?"

Harry shook his head, "No I didn't warn him off, we just have a distant kind of relationship. We hardly talk outside of our duties and surely don't see each other outside them either."

Mortiferus cocked his head at him, "That's a not a French custom your friend Maia spends plenty of time with her captain and yet you do not, why pray tell is that?"

Harry hissed now, "That's an awful intrusive question and something I consider very private."

Mortiferus drew up now, "Pardon me I did not intend to offend, it's only that I see you here with free access to your captain who you seemingly under appreciate, and mine is taken from me and how I long to see her."

Harry deflated at this and said in a soothing tone, "I'm sure they are taking good care of her I've found those in authority here at least keep their word."

Mortiferus nodded despondently then perked up a bit and looked at Harry intently, "I know that your job is to guard me but do you think that maybe you could visit my Carolina and see that she is being cared for?"

Harry thought this over then nodded, "I can't promise anything but tomorrow after practice we can inquire about it and after my night training I will go see her, would that be good?"

Mortiferus seemed pleased with this and relaxed greatly afterwards.

"Now tell me a bit about her if I'm to suddenly to descend upon the poor woman."

And so Mortiferus talked late into the night telling Harry all about Carolina and her mother Felicity St. Germain. It seemed that Mortiferus had served the last thirty years in the British aerial corps with his first captain Felicity. Felicity was now fifty-three and only just three months ago had retired and Mortiferus was now captained by her nineteen year old daughter. Carolina had been serving in Mortiferus's crew for the past two years and before that she had spent time on two other dragons learning as much as she could before she would one day follow in her mother's footsteps. Mortiferus was ashamed to admit that he was glad that Carolina was here instead of her mother but was quick to claim it was because she was younger and able to cope with a situation like this instead of his dear sweet Felicity.

The next day after his nightly practice instead of heading off to his clearing he made a twenty minute flight away from the convert to a nearby town where they'd settled Carolina. Neither she nor Mortiferus was sure as to where the other was and Carolina had no idea how close or far the convert was to the town she now lived in. They'd set the young girl up working in the house hold on of a minor dignitary where Harry had no trouble landing in the backyard of.

Already two soldiers had brought the young woman out to see Harry, word had gotten to them fast that Harry would be visiting. The woman had auburn curly hair done up well under a bonnet to keep it secure in the breezy evening air. She wore a simple clean dress befitting a serving woman of a wealthy man's home and held herself firmly staring up at Harry.

"So your here to make sure I'm okay for Mortiferus?" She asked

Harry nodded, "Yes he was most concerned that I make sure you were being treated well."

Carolina nodded, "Well I am treated well enough, I work here but it's no more than I can easily handle. I'm fed enough and they provide bathing for the staff, so yes I am well cared for. Happy is another story entirely."

"I can see where that would be," Harry winced not sure what else to ask the woman and seemed very rude to just say thank you and be on his way so quickly, "I'm not honestly sure what else to ask Mortiferus was caught up in the if you were okay part he didn't tell me to ask after you any other way."

Carolina laughed now, "It's no matter, he has a sort singular mind when he gets to worrying after me or mother. Tell me what's your name, I don't think I've ever seen your breed before."

When it became obvious that Harry and Carolina would talk for some time the two soldiers left them too it. Harry indeed staid for a little over a hour chatting with the woman who found to be an engaging conversationalist. Finally he was sure that he would never be awake enough for the next morning's training he bid her goodnight and flew back to the convert and Mortiferus.

Mortiferus set upon Harry as soon as he landed and the middle weight was obliged to spend yet another hour relaying the complete conversation to the eager dragon. When he was done he fell asleep directly with Mortiferus still awake and brooding over the conversation that Harry had relayed to him.

When Harry woke the next morning he was surprised to find his bunk mate had unbent in his stiff regard of the younger dragon enough to sleep next to Harry and stretch one giant wing out over the middle weight dragon. It was a most pleasant development to not have to live with a dragon that treated him like a jailor. So there relationship developed into a friendship over the next month.

Harry went every Friday to see Carolina and talk with her for a couple hours before returning to Mortiferus and talking to him as well. Harry's captain was a bit peeved when he found that Harry was going about this for the foreign dragon. For the first time he shouted at Harry and told him that he was his dragon not this woman's. Harry had stared at his captain coldly for they both knew that there bond was a sham at best.

Soon Mortiferus was expected to start working with formation of dragons and he was gone from Harry for most the day every day there after learning to fly formation maneuvers with dragons he couldn't even speak too.

It was a bad day the day they made Mortiferus accept a new crew. It was bad especially for Harry because of the man they had appointed to be the Longwings pseudo captain. Wies Leroy was offered the position due to his fluent english speaking skill and had accepted the with the promise that serving on Mortiferus for the duration of two years would earn him the honor of trying again for his own dragon. Harry was distraught and Mortiferus unable to understand why. Harry was especially upset because in the evening Wies came to their clearing and spent hours talking to Mortiferus and attempting to include Harry.

"Come now Harry he isn't that awful." Mortiferus chided Harry after Wies was out of ear shot, "He's trying to be perfectly nice to you, I think it's awful brave of the lad after the way you mauled him so."

Harry whirled around, "He told you about that?"

"Of course told me you probably didn't like him for it."

"That's not it I'm sorry I mauled him I didn't mean to, I was confused and he'd snuck up on me and just started touching me."

"It sounds like you were in need of the help though?"

"Well yes but I was confused at the time."

"Hatching is a confusing experience." Mortiferus conceded, "But you could at least talk to the man I'm sure that he doesn't hold the injury against you."

Harry glared at the older dragon and turned his back on him intent on ignoring the whole situation and the feeling that bothered him so much whenever Wies was around. That horrible jealousy whenever he sat on Mortiferus's great paw and talked to him. It ate at Harry driving him a bit mad that he should even feel like this in the first place. Surely he was born a wizard he was only stuck in the shape of a dragon, he couldn't have the same instincts that drove him to want a captain like they did surely.


	4. Chapter 4

**AN: Thank you guys for all the encouragement and kind words. **

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><p>Chapter 4<p>

It came as a surprise when Laurent, Herme's captain stopped by Harry's clearing before they headed off to practice for the day.

"The admiralty has finished inspecting Harry's venom and has reviewed his instruction in his flame and arrived at a decision." Laurent started right in, "It seems that his flames are due to a mixing of the acid that he spits and he isn't truely a fire breather."

Dubois deflated and sighed "That's what I was starting to think"

Harry merely shrugged he'd already assumed as much after watching Mortiferus in a few of his practices. It didn't matter either way to him as far as he was concerned fire spitting was just as useful to him.

"It's no matter." Laurent told them, "Instead of sending your formation to the strait to hold off the British navy they're going to take your formation and with Lumiere at the head they'll head out for the straight by weeks end."

Harry nodded but Dubois looked like he'd taken a blow to the gut. Harry felt a bit bad for the young man who had been looking forward to them heading into battle soon.

"Instead you are being assigned to Mortiferus's formation. You'll start practice with them tomorrow and hopefully we'll have you guys ready to head out on patrols."

Dubois grew red in the face but nodded in a jerky manner, "Yes sir."

"Take the day to see how the Mortiferus's formation works."

Harry's captain saluted politely as the senior captain left them to there own devices.

"I suppose this suits you well." Dubois snapped at Harry

The young dragon stared at the man bewildered, "I suppose either way would suit."

Dubois shot him a withering look, "You may not welcome my presence in the evenings but that does not mean I do not come by to check on you. I have seen how friendly you are with the British dragon and more importantly I have seen how you watch Leroy."

Harry hissed his surprise and stared at his captain.

"I don't care what you do but you are my dragon." Dubois snarled, "You chose me and not that British speaking wanker."

Harry snarled and dropped his head so he could glare all the better at the young man.

"You are only my captain at my sufferance." The dark dragon hissed, "If I wished to take Leroy as my captain I would do so. As it is I have not and you are my captain."

Dubois drew back and stared at Harry his face red and breathing unsteady in fury, "I do not understand you. You are the sorriest excuse for a dragon."

Harry huffed and shrugged, "I'm aware I'm different with out your help, yet I do not see myself conforming to what a dragon 'should' be in the future. You would do well to settle in and accept the hand you've been delt or ask for reassignment."

Dubois shook his head, "They would never let me try for a proper dragon, they will blame me for your behavior."

"So we are in agreement then?" Harry raised a heavy brow in question, "You will remain my 'captain' and we shall do our job?"

Dubois nodded sharply unsettling some of his dark curls in the process.

Harry watched as the man whirled and left his clearing off to watch Mortiferus in action no doubt. The young dragon stayed back gathering his thoughts and trying to cool off. He'd not been that angry since coming to this world and it left his hide feeling tight. He felt stretched thin like he could barely contain himself.

Deciding the best thing was to fly off his aggression he took to the sky with a great leap. There was a good breeze so he was able to hoover a second when he first opened his wings. In doing so he glanced back down at his clearing and faltered in the air.

Down below right where he'd taken off from was what looked like a perfect ring of dead grass and moss.

Spilling air from under his wings he landed back in his clearing beside the strange dead grass. The grass was dried and brittle where it was dead and in the circle was the marks were he'd gripped the earth with his claws while he berated Dubois.

Harry stared in wonder at the grass and with a jolt he realized that the tight constricting feeling he was experiencing wasn't unfamiliar He'd experienced the sensation before in his old world... every time he'd done accidental magic.

Stunned he sat beside the grass for quiet a bit consumed in thought. It looked like he finally had proof that there was magic in this world too. Did this mean that there was a way back home? Did this mean that he could do magic in his new body? How was he going to ever hold a wand with his claws?

He was shaken from his deep thoughts by the arrival of Mortiferus sometime later.

"What ever did you do?" The older dragon chuckled as he landed, "You really shouldn't practice fire spitting here, there's too much that's flammable."

Harry stared at the Longwing a moment before he realized that Mortiferus had assumed the dead grass was due to some fire spitting experiment of Harry's.

Sheepish he ducked his head before responding, "I got a bit annoyed."

Mortiferus snorted, "I used to have the same problem when I was younger. You'll outgrow it."

Harry took notice now of Leroy disconnecting from Mortiferus's rigging and descending to the ground. The Longwing didn't stoop to make the job easier for the young man, but he never did. It was little things like this that was the older dragons way of showing his displeasure with his current lot in life.

"I suppose you were told about your new assignment then?" Leroy asked

Harry nodded and drug his eyes away from the young man to stare off into the woods surrounding his clearing. He was afraid if he looked too long at Weis he'd give away how he really felt about the man.

"I'm sorry," Leroy told him drawing Harry's eyes back to him, "I'm sure having your own formation and flaming boats on the strait would be preferable to being stuck with us as a back up."

Harry's prickly demeanor couldn't help thaw in the face of Leroy being so caring. Realizing that he'd fairly swooned under his would be captains attention he huffed and pointedly looked away.

"It matters not, I will do my duty." Harry grumbled

"All the same I apologize." Weis smiled, "I'm off to find a late lunch Mortiferus, I'll come back later and you can dictate a letter to Carolina that I'm sure Harry will be happy to deliver for you next he visits her."

Practice the next day was a sorry event. Harry's crew were all a bit grumbly to be joining a new formation instead of heading out to face the British. The young dragon was surprised how blood thirsty these men all seemed to be.

He'd seen war at the battle for Hogwarts and he knew it wasn't pretty but he suspected that many of the young men among his crew had not. They all looked to be younger then 18 years old and way to boyish in their enthusiasm for battle.

Harry didn't have even half the crew of Mortiferus. The much larger dragon had a crew of 20 men plus his 'captain' Leroy. Harry only had 11 men in his own crew but then again he only weighed in at 15 tons.

Dubois was starting to loose hope that Harry would grow much more and Harry was glad the man wasn't asking him daily if he'd eaten. The young wizard turned dragon wasn't sure himself how much bigger he'd get. He figured he had some filling out to do but as far as he could tell he'd attained the height and length he'd remain.

Joining Mortiferus's formation was interesting at first but quickly grew boring. Formation maneuvers were wearisome Where before as the leader of his old formation they had been fairly interesting. Responding to another's orders though weren't half as fun and Harry felt he was being held back.

Mortiferus was the head of the formation with Harry and Maia on either side. The two middleweight dragons hovered just above and to the sides to protect him from enemy attacks. Behind them where three smaller Pascals Blue anchored on the ends by two heavyweight dragons a Defendeur-Brave and Chanson-de-Guerre.

Harry and Maia were the youngest in the formation. They were probably only put in the valuable formation because Harry could speak English and Maia was the only dragon he'd worked with outside his own formation.

The Defendeur-Brave named Domitius was a veteran of many battles and had the scars to prove it. He was dark green with gold markings on his wings. His most prominent feature in Harry's eyes was his hooked tail. The younger dragon shuddered at the idea what the battle scared dragon did with it to other dragons. Despite that he was relatively young at only 10 years old. His captain was young too in Harry's opinion but nice enough to Harry despite Dubois' stiff regard.

Jovita was the Chanson-de-Guerre. She was older at 27 years of age but hadn't seen as many battles as Domitius. She was a very common breed and more often used as scout or on boarder patrol. Her light hide was marbled orange, yellow, and brown on ivory and didn't have much in the way of horns or spines that most dragons supported.

The three Pascals Blues were hard for Harry to keep set apart in mind. They had been together in several formations before and were all close in age.

Plinius was the eldest by a year then Tacita was 7 years old and at 5 years old Aurelia was the youngest.

Plinius was a timid male prone to being harried but the two female Pascals Blues who were like noisy hens always chattering. Maia got along great with the two female lightweights.

Jovita held herself aloof from the chatter that was the younger females, preferring the company of her pleasant captain.

Harry had thought being around other dragons and working hard to learn formation maneuvers would draw his attention away from Wies. He was wrong. Watching the other dragons with their own captains only made him envious.

The task wouldn't have been so damn hard if Wies wasn't just so nice. The man always tried to include Harry in conversation when he spent the evening with Mortiferus in their clearing. Harry merely remained quiet observing and trying to keep from glaring too much.

He wasn't wholly successful, Mortiferus informed him later. The Longwing told him that Wies was baffled that Harry disliked him so much. Harry merely huffed and ignored the whole conversation.

The situation was slowly getting worse and mostly driven that way by Dubois who was jealous of Harry's attention. His captain was possessive and would have had Harry move to a different clearing if there was only another English speaking dragon was available to watch Mortiferus.

They'd only just begun to improve as a formation when Mortiferus developed a cold. The older dragon had been fighting a cough and finally succumbed to it. Most of the captains groaned that now surely all the youngest would get it too. Seemed every young dragon got a minor cold at some time or another.

Sure enough as Mortiferus's cough grew flemmy in sound Maia came down with the cough as well followed by surprisingly Domitius. Harry who still slept tucked under the Longwing's giant wing and was surprised he too hadn't come down with the flu.

In the middle of practice they were interrupted one day by the arrival of a small company of large dragons. Harry hovered in the air staring at the dragons as they landed in the covert.

He'd never seen such large dragons before. Sure he'd heard of the Grand Chevalier that was France's largest dragon but he'd yet to have seen one and now he was faced with two. Between the two large dragons was a slightly smaller but no less imposing dragon. The dragon was not one he'd seen or heard of before. Her hide was white as fresh fallen snow with ruby red markings. Harry was enthralled with her. He hoped he got a chance to meet her before what ever duty brought her here was complete.

Hermes called an end to practice shortly after the arrival of the larger dragons. Everyone was dismissed except Mortiferus. The British dragon was bid to follow Hermes away leaving Harry unsure to what he'd do with out the older male to guide around the covert.

The fire spitter stood patiently as his crew disembarked and chattered happily amongst themselves He watched them curiously and couldn't help comparing them to the other crews of the formation. Where his crew mostly ignored him and never really included him in conversation he noticed it was not the same for the others.

Jovita seemed to only converse with her captain but most of her crew gave her affectionate pats and kind parting words. Domitius seemed to really like his crew as a whole and chatted with many of them often as well as his captain. Maia of course loved all her crew and was very nosey about knowing everything about each person.

The Pascals seemed more interested in each other then in their crews. Only their captains had their love and attention. Despite that their crews were very attentive of them. Often asking if they needed anything or if the harness was comfortable.

Harry frowned at his own retreating crew. They never asked if he was okay or comfortable. In fact as a whole they'd probably addressed him only a hand full of times. Dubois for that matter didn't seem to demand much of them in the way of Harry's care.

The more he thought it over the more he realized they were only emulating his captain who in his frustration with Harry was being very distant.

Annoyed Harry huffed and made to take off for his own clearing.

"Oh Harry you really should join us!" Maia pranced over excitedly, neatly stepping over and around various leaving crew members. The humans laughed at her childish excitement or exclaimed for her to be more cautious.

Harry raised a amused eyebrow at the young female, "Join you in what?"

"Oh you weren't listening?" She frowned at him, "No matter. We are heading over to the lake for a quick bath. It's lovely out this spring and we really should take advantage."

Harry grimaced and was about to decline. What if Mortiferus returned to their clearing and he was still gone.

"Come on you are in dreadful need of a bath and we're hoping the water will help soothe Domitius's cold." Maia pleaded

Harry drew up and glared at her then looked back at his hide. She was right. His harness was dull and dirty. Where the others had efficient harness men who kept there equipment looking pristine his own crew did not.

"Actually you seem to be right." Harry sighed gustily, "I think I will join you at the lake."

Maia whooped her excitement and bounded over to Domitius who was talking to his captain who was the last of the humans to leave them.

The three Pascals took off in a flurry of blue and grey all of them quick and light in their movements. Harry smirked and leapt aloft as well.

His own flying skills far out stripped the three light weights not something a littler dragon was used to a mid weight doing. He was, as far as he'd heard, the finest flier in his weight class. Something he was pretty proud of.

The Pascals squeaked in indignation as Harry swept by them with ease. Looking back he watched as Maia tried in vain to catch even the Pascals. The two heavy weights were only just getting a loft. Domitius lumbered into the air with very little to no grace but Jovita sprang into the air with relative ease.

It might be that the younger heavy weight was under the weather but he didn't seem to have as much power in his hind quarters with which to spring aloft. Jovita though used all of her considerable back leg muscles to propel herself aloft. She was very efficient flier and Harry took time to admire how well the quiet old female flew.

He attention on the older female slowed him allowing the Pascals and Maia to catch up to him in a burst of happy chatter. The mix breed dragon didn't even try to keep up with their excited French as they drew level with him and started to flit about each other easily trading places and seemingly dancing around each other in the air.

Maia for her part stayed close to him not flitting about like the three Pascals.

As Harry watched them with curiosity he noticed that Plinius the eldest and only male of the Pascals seemed to prefer to be highest in flight to the girls and Aurelia seemed to be the shyest abut her maneuvering Where Tacita was obviously flirting with the older male.

Snorting in amusement Harry folded his wings and let the air spill out from under him with alarming suddenness The Pascals scattered with startled squawks but chased after him gamely. Maia hollered at him but he ignored her in favor of leading the Pascals on a merry chase.

Despite their head start the heavy weights beat them to the lake. The larger dragons were mature and hadn't joined them in their mid-air frolicking, but instead only climbing to a hight to make the short flight to the water.

Harry flared his wings as his blazed passed the two larger dragons bringing himself level as he skimmed the surface of the lake. Cupping his wings around the warm air rising off of the water he skimmed the surface with the speed from his dive. Gently he banked and came back around to wear the two heavy weights were settling into the water.

The two female Pascals dove into the water with excited gusto followed by a slower Maia. Plinius hovered over the water a moment to pick a spot well away from the two splashing heavy weight

The wizard turned dragon settled into the water with ease letting the water check his forward motion bringing him to a stop close to Maia. The dark colored dragon was soaking in the warm water much in the same manner as a crocodile would.

Harry ducked his head under the water splashing it over his back and using his wings to pull even more up over his back while remaining a float.

He was the youngest dragon there and generally antisocial having spent most of his time with Mortiferus then in the company of other French dragons. Where Maia had just turned a year was a social butterfly. He hadn't yet turned a year and wouldn't for another two months.

He listened with half an ear to the conversations around him while grooming himself. He worked at getting the grime from his harness and hide. He wouldn't have others saying he was a shabby dragon after all.

Maia was talking with the female Pascals about the pretty white dragon that had flown in. Apparently she was a rather rare breed and singular in her color. They'd never met the white dragon but there had been a lot of rumors about her ferried in by the courier dragons.

Plinius had climbed up to settle on Jovita's spine as she basked lazily in the shallows next to Domitus. Well shallow water for them but Harry couldn't even come close to touching bottom yet.

Plinius was telling the older female about his captains new pocket watch and how shiny the gold trinket was. She seemed to appreciate and even envy the gold his captain had. She commented that her own captain only had a silver pocket watch. It seemed they hadn't earned as much capital in patrolling the French boarders.

"Does your captain have a pocket watch, Harry?" Plinius asked trying politely to draw Harry into conversation seeing as the youngest dragon was floating in the water so close to them.

Harry hesitated. He didn't know if Dubois even had a pocket watch much less what kind it would be. He didn't seem to have the same love for shiny objects that the others had. That and he didn't ask much of his 'captain'.

"I don't know." Harry frowned a little, "I've never seen him use one."

"Your captain isn't very attentive." Domitius grumbled, "Your harness in the shape it is, is a disgrace to his care of you."

Harry blinked at the large dragon who was lazily peering at the young dragons harness in disdain.

"Oh it's not Dubois's fault." Maia chimed in, "Harry is so unfriendly he has fair destroyed his captains care of him."

Harry frowned at the female and snarled, "He only orders me about."

"Well what else he supposed to do when you spend all your time mooning about Mortiferus and Leroy." Maia exclaimed, "He told my captain that you only ever want to talk English with them."

Harry snarled angrily now, "Well that is nice. Talking about me when I am not even around."

Maia laughed, "Oh Harry dear, everyone talks. You just happen to be an interesting topic."

"Maia that is rather unkind." Jovita frowned at the smaller dragon, "It's no matter Harry, not everyone has a close relationship with their captain. At least you can take care of yourself. I've seen dragons with captains like yours who just let themselves waste away waiting on their captain's attention."

"But Eloi would love to spend time with Harry if only Harry would allow his presence." Maia exclaimed

"Hush." Domitius snapped, "No other has any right to judge anothers relationship with their captain. I merely mean that Harry's harness needs better care otherwise it could fail in battle and he'd have to drop out of the formation."

Harry glared angrily at Maia from where he paddled in the the water. The tight feeling was back and he realized with a snap his magic was bubbling just under the surface ready to spill out of him with the littlest urging.

Realizing he was a danger to the other dragons he powered his wings heaving his body up out of the water. He felt the magic slipping out aiding him in attaining lift. Curious about the effect but more afraid of hurting the other dragons he concentrated on flying away from them.

He made in out by the floating platforms he'd been using for target practice when he'd been learning with Lumiere and Accendare. Once there he unleashed his magic on the floating barges. Opening his mouth he released a spray of acid turned flame on the targets. He flared and beat his wings sending the greedy flames even more oxygen. Where in the past he'd been seared on his delicate wings trying this, now his magic shielded his wings from the inferno.

The fire danced greedily over first one barge and then quickly spread to consume the second and third. The fire was burning hotter and faster then any Harry had produced before but this flame was aided by the fury of his magic.

He had to stop to draw breath and when he did he swept over the flames on to the next cluster of barges that had been too far for his flames to reach. He didn't even get the chance to attack these ones though. The flames from the previous cluster had clung to him and the air he current he'd created when he swept by. They leapt hungrily on one of the barges and started to consume this cluster as well.

Harry jerked to a hover over this cluster and stared. Fire wasn't supposed to behave like this. Least of fire created by his acid which till now had behaved much like a grease fire would. This fire reminded him of fiendfyre.

He watched in shock and horror as the living flames consumed all the barges that were set a float for Harry's practices. Once out of fuel the flames danced on the surface slowly going out as the last bit sunk below the surface.

"That was very impressive."

Harry lost some of his altitude as he whirled in surprise to stare at the dragon who had snuck up on him while he was watching his flames.

The magnificent white dragon which had arrived earlier during the day was now hovering in the air staring down at Harry.

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><p><strong>AN: I know the ending is abrupt but this file was huge and this was the best place I could find to cut it up. There's enough still on the data disk for another chapter. And guess what!? I even started writing more of it lol. Helps that I found my story plan for it.<strong>

**While editing this I was a little annoyed with the first two chapters I posted. I might have to go back and fix somethings and flesh out bits. There are some bits that confuse even me!**

**Anyways hope you all enjoy. Let me know what you think!**


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